The University of Oregon’s Campus Planning & Facilities Management established a temperature set policy in 2021 to make buildings on campus more comfortable for occupants and save energy as part of the UO Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2.
Today, the policy could help make building temperatures more comfortable for students and allow them to concentrate on their studies. The policy will also help the university achieve its CAP 2 goals and guidelines.
The temperature set point policy is led by the Building Automation Group, who “coordinates with Facilities Services, Design and Construction, the UO Registrar’s office and the Utilities and Energy Department to gather data related to the performance of building automation systems,” according to the UO Strategic Energy Management Plan FY20-21 Edition.
The temperature setpoints are between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for occupied hours and between 66 degrees and 78 degrees Fahrenheit for unoccupied hours, according to the Thermal Conditioning Operating Standards document.
Occupied is when the buildings are unlocked and accessible whereas unoccupied is when the buildings are closed and inaccessible. The UO Strategic Energy Management Plan FY20-21 Edition defines occupied hours as when the campus buildings are unlocked and accessible; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The established set points follow guidelines set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
According to the Thermal Conditioning Operating Standards, the policy applies to most buildings on campus, specifically all General Funded university buildings. Buildings in this criteria include main campus buildings and grounds. The policy does not apply to housing and athletics facilities as they are governed by separate policies.
“I feel like a lot of buildings are either really hot or really cold, and there’s not a happy medium,” Makenna Phillips, a UO freshman majoring in anthropology and geography, said. “Gerlinger Hall specifically is often really hot and then at Knight Library I feel cold all the time.”
Despite the uncomfortable temperature, Phillips said the policy is a step in the right direction and will help prevent buildings from being excessively hot or cold. Phillips said that the policy could also help improve students’ comfortability levels during classes.
“Having a set of conditions laid out will make it easier for students to be in learning environments,” she said. “When you are more comfortable, it’s easy for you to learn.”
The policy is currently in effect and aims to continue making the building temperatures on campus more comfortable for occupants.
The Daily Emerald reached out to Steve Mital, UO Office of Sustainability director, for an interview, but he was unavailable at the time of publishing.